Controlled rotation heel for footwear



NOV. 11, 1969 v I SHEPHERD 3,477,150 I CONTROLLED ROTATION HEEL FORFOOTWEAR Filed Oqt. 9, 1967 O 30 E6. 2. 2/ c 5 I N VEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,477,150 CONTROLLED ROTATION HEEL FOR FOOTWEARHenry Shepherd, 122 W. Hill St., Long Beach, Calif. 90806 Filed Oct. 9,1967, Ser. No. 673,797 Int. Cl. A43b 21/433 U.S. Cl. 36-39 6 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is concerned with footwear andrelates specifically to the heels of shoes, it being a general object ofthis invention to provide a replaceable heel that automatically revolvesso as to wear evenly and that is c0n trolled so that rotation is stoppedwhen pressure is applied by means of a person standing thereon.

Heels of ordinary shoes run down unevenly and in different waysdepending upon the manner in which each particular person wears them.That is, some persons wear off the inside of the heel while others wearoff the outside thereof. Accordingly, in my previously issued Patent No.2,300,635, issued Nov. 3, 1942, I disclosed a heel adapted to be rotatedso as to be repositioned for wear throughout its continuous peripheralportion. My previously patented heel is turnably retained in selectiverotative positions, there being a member engageable in depressions tohold the turnable cap member and prevent it from rotating. Further, saidpatent recognizes that continuous or automatic rotation of the turnablecapping can be obtained through removal of the positioning member,however there is no disclosure therein of means to control this socalled automatic function. In other words, my previous patent suggeststhe function of continued, but uncontrolled rotation. And, in practiceit has been found that when a person is standing upon and relying uponsuch a heel for support, turning of said heel is unsafe and cannot betolerated. Therefore, the present improvement provides for control ofsaid rotation whereby continued rotation during normal use is assuredfor even wear, and whereby said rotation is assuredly stopped during thesupport interval of time.

In view of the foregoing it is an object of this invention to provide areplaceable rotatable heel for a shoe, wherein rotation continues tooccur during normal use and wherein said rotation is intermittentlystopped so as to assure a fixedly positioned heel when a person isstanding upon the same.

It is another object of this invention to provide a replaceable androtatable heel that is assuredly anchored in rotatable and fixedpositions without danger of accidental displacement. Heretofore, theanchors of such replaceable heel members have been such as to permitaccidental displacement. However, the configuration of the anchor memberor members and mating cavity or cavities, as hereinafter disclosed,precludes accidental displacement under any normal operating conditions.

The various objects and features of this invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of the typicalpreferred form and applications thereof, throughout which descriptionreference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a shoe and showing theinstallation of a heel embodying the features of the present invention.FIGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views taken as indicated by lines22 and 33 on FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form ofthe heel shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view takenas indicated by line 5-5 on FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is an enlarged detailedfragmen- 3,477,150 Patented Nov. 11, 1969 tary view showing acharacteristic feature of the heel shown throughout the drawings.

I have discovered that rotatable heels can be dangerous and thereforeunsatisfactory when permitted to continuously rotate, and that the twomembers which characterize such heels do not promote rotation of therevolvable member when fabricated of similar materials, due to theadverse affects inherent in the principals of frictional coefiiciency.For example, rubber or like elastomers are employed in the fabricationof heel members, preferably the same or at least similar material forboth members, and as a consequence the rotatable member does notordinarily and in itself rotate freely in the stationary base member.Therefore, and in accordance with the invention, a lubricant 10 isapplied to one or both members and/or deposited therebetween in order tocreate the anti-friction function necessary to permit relative rotationbetween the two said members. In practice, I employ liquid silocone and/or graphite as a grease or lubricant 10 (see enlarged FIG. 6) thatestablishes the freedom desired, as a result of a relatively lowcoeflicient of friction, permitting relative movement between the twomembers.

The invention involves footwear in the form of a shoe S that involves atop 11 and a sole 12, the heel member A being suitably fastened to thesole 12 as by gluing and nailing, and the like. As shown, the heelinvolves the base member A and cap member B, and the clutch-anchor Cincorporated therein. The base member A is part of or may be directlycarried by the sole 12 of the shoe S, and the cap member B is rotatablyand controllably secured to the base A by the clutch-anchor C.

The heel which is characterized by the two members involves, generally,a base member A, cap member B, and a clutch-anchor C extending from onemember and projecting into the other member to control rotation betweenthe members and/or to releasably connect them. The base member A ispermanently attached to the heel portion of the shoe, while the capmember B is replaceably retained in and/or to the base member by meansof the clutch-anchor. A characteristic feature of the present inventionis that the cap member, at least, is made of an elastomer or the likeand that changes configuration upon the application of applied weight,in order to engage the clutch-anchor C that is operative between the twomembers A and -B.

The base member A is a body of suitably durable material adapted to themaking of a heel, preferably a rubber-like elastomer. As is typical ofheel shapes, the base member A has flat and substantially parallel topand bottomfaces 15 and 16, opposite sides 17, and a front and back 18and 19. The top face 15 is preferably concaved so as to receive thenatural curvature of the heel of the sole 12, while the bottom face 16is planar so as to engage flatly upon a supporting surface such as theground or floor, etc. The sides 17 are substantially parallel and inpractice are dressed so as to correspond to and merge with the sides ofthe sole 12 at the heel portion of the shoe. The front 18 is simplytransversely disposed, preferably concaved, while the back 19 issemi-circular and in practice dressed so as to correspond to and mergewith the back of the heel 12 and also with the above mentioned sides 17;all is clearly illustrated in the drawings.

In accordance with this invention the base member A is provided with arecess at the back thereof for the reception of and to be fully occupiedby the cap member B. The said recess is defined by a fiat seat 20 in aplane parallel to and offset upwardly from the bottom face 16, and by aconcaved semi-circular wall 21 diametrically opposite and complementaryto the back 19. The said wall 21 and back 19 together describe acircular area which defines the circumference of the seat 20.Consequently, the said recess as defined by the seat 20 and wall 21 iscircular, with a rearwardly disposed abutment the height of the offsetof seat 20, and open rearwardly as well as downwardly.

The base member A hereinabove described is of the type and configurationrequired for a mans shoe. It is to be understood, however, that the basemember can be without a recess and in FIG. of the drawings I have shownsuch a base member A as would be required for a womans shoe. That is,when a heel of minimum configuration is desired, the area of the basemember A is confined to that of the cap member B'.

The cap member B is a body of suitably durable material adapted to themaking of a heel, preferably the same as and similar to the rubber-likeelastomer of the base member A. In accordance with the invention, thecap member B is a disc-shaped part formed of a resilient material suchas, for example, rubber, rubber composition, synthetic rubber, or anymaterial of this type, and if desired the cap may be reinforced withcords or fiber. The cap is a yielding part that is deformable inresponse to the application of weight and pressure so as to fiow in amanner to releasably prevent turning of the cap member B, all ashereinafter described. As shown, the cap member B is formed about acentral vertical axis with a cylindrical outer wall adapted to havelubricating clearance relative to the wall 21 and to the seat 20. Thecap member B has a top 31 and a bottom 32 parallel with each other, thetop 31 having fiat engagement with the seat 20 of the recess, and thebottom 32 being adapted to have supporting engagement with the ground,or the like. The cap member B is consequently substantially the samediameter as the seat 20 and fully occupies the recess in the base memberA, the bottom 32 thereof being in a plane substantially coincidentalwith the plane of the bottom face 16. Thus, the void established in thesaid base member is effectively replaced.

The clutch-anchor C is provided in accordance with this invention tocontrollably secure the cap member B to the base member A, with apredetermined rule of action that locks the cap against rotation whensupporting pressure is applied through the heel, and that releases thecap member to rotate when supporting pressure is withdrawn from theheel. The clutch-anchor C involves male and female parts formed in themembers A and B respectively, it being preferred to provide a femaleopening 35 in the base member A and to provide a mating projection 36 onthe cap member B. The opening 35 and projection 36 are of aconfiguration to facilitate entry of one into the other but to ensureconsequent locked engagement one with the other. In carrying out thisphase of the invention the opening 35 is formed concentrically of theseat 20 and is provided with an enlarged upwardly convergent chamber.Said chamber presents upwardly disposed internal shoulders 37 at thesides of the opening and presents inwardly tapered internal sides 38. I

The projection 36 is formed concentrically of the discshaped cap memberB and it is provided with an enlarged upwardly convergent head. Saidhead presents downwardly disposed external shoulders 39 at the sides ofthe projection and presents inwardly tapered external sides 40. The saidshoulders and sides of the opening 35 and projection 36 arecomplementary respectively, with lubricating clearance therebetween.And, in practice, the opening 35 and projection 36 are of circular formso as to extend continuously and circumferentially around theperipherial portion of the heel structure.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the opening 35 and projection 36configurations are integrally formed in the two members A and B, moldedfor example of the same or similar elastomer materials. The manufacturedfit between the two members A and B is such as to provide clearance forlubrication, and the shouldered engagement of the clutch-anchor C islimited as shown. Therefore, assembly is made feasible due to the flowmade possible with the elastomer, especially with the elastomer formingthe disc-shaped member B which directly receives the supportingpressures that are applied when a person applies his body weight to theheel. Accordingly, the shore hardness of the elastomer is such as toprovide substantial response to the pressure ordinarily applied and withthe result that the projection 36 swells so as to forcibly occupy theopening 35, and the outer wall 30 swells so as-to forcibly engage thewall 21. Consequently, the members A and B fit and engage tightly whensupportin pressure is applied to the heel, thereby frictionally engagingthe two members in a manner to prevent rotation therebetween. However,during the initial application of and during the terminal withdrawal ofsaid supporting pressure there are intervals of time when the clutchingaction is released and during which inherent twisting action is causedby movements of the wearer of the shoe, incrementally turns the discmember B, and which by repeated applications and withdrawals of pressureresults in the slow but inevitable automatic progressive turning of therotatable heel.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specificdetails herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself anymodifications or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A controlled rotation heel for shoes and including, a base member forfixed attachment to the heel portion of the shoe and a rotatable capmember releasably attachable to said base member, said base memberhaving a downwardly faced seat of circular configuration and said capmember being complementary to and having a top rotatably engaged withsaid seat, and female and male parts integrally formed as a part of andconcentrically in and on the two members respectively, the female parthaving an enlarged opening and the male part having an enlarged headcomplementary to and releasably engaged in said opening, at least one ofsaid members being formed of soft elastomer material operative to flowupon the application of supporting pressure thereto and to swell saidpart thereof and frictionally engaged the said part of the other memberstopping rotation of the cap member relative to the base member.

2. The heel including the base and cap members as set forth in claim 1and wherein the said cap member is formed of the soft elastomer materialoperative to flow upon the application of supporting pressure theretoand to swell the said part thereof whereby the male and female partsengage to clutch said two members.

3. The heel including the base and cap members as set forth in claim 1and wherein said two members are formed of the soft elastomer materialoperative to flow upon the application of supporting pressure theretoand therebetween and to swell the said parts of said two members forsaid frictional engagement whereby said two members are clutched againstrotation.

4. A controlled rotation heel for shoes and including, a base member forfixed attachment to the heel portion of the shoe and defined by top andbottom faces and sides establishing the height and width of the heel andhaving a recess defined by a circular seat offset upwardly from thebottom face and bounded by a rearwardly disposed semicircular walldiametrically opposite a semicircular back of said member, and arotatable disc-shaped cap member complementary to and occupying saidrecess and having a top rotatably engaged with the seat and having acylindrical periphery juxtapositioned to said semicircular wall of therecess, and female and male parts integrally formed as a part of andconcentrically in and on the two members respectively, the female parthaving an enlarged opening and the male part havin an enlarged headcomplementary to and releasably engaged in said opening, at least one ofsaid members being formed of soft elastomer material operative to flowupon the application of sup porting pressure thereto and to swell thesame and trick tionally engage the semicircular wall of the base memberwith the cylindrical periphery of the cap member stopping rotation ofthe cap member relative to the base member.

5. The heel including the base and cap members as set forth in claim 4and wherein the said cap member is formed of the soft elastomer materialoperative to flow upon the application of supporting pressure theretoand to swell the said cap member to frictionally engage its cylindricalperiphery with the semicylindrical wall of the base member.

6. The heel including the base and cap members as set forth in claim 4and wherein said two members are formed of the soft elastomer materialoperative to flow upon the application of supporting pressure theretoand therebetween and to swell the said two members to frictionallyengage the cylindrical periphery of the cap member with thesemicylindrical wall of the base member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 995,475 6/ 1911 Mahler 36-392,288,168 6/1942 Leu 3639 2,776,502 1/1957 Taylor 3639 3,085,359 4/1963Rubens 3639 FOREIGN PATENTS 341,747 6/ 1957 Canada.

ALFRED R. GUEST, Primary Examiner

